Ice has not reached the North River in New York City yet this year, but further north on the Hudson some icebreaking operations have already begun. On Monday, Penobscot Bay, one of two 140–foot ice breakers based in Bayonne was heading upriver, still wearing her Christmas wreath below the wheelhouse and holly strung along the railing, to join the smaller 65-foot cutter Hawser to be ready to keep the channel open to Albany. By evening Penobscot Bay had reached Poughkeepsie while Hawser was docked in Albany. The other 140-footer, Sturgeon Bay, and the other local 65-footer Wire are both at the Bayonne base.